Glutathione Synthesis – How Your Body Builds Its Master Antioxidant

 

… So the CBS gene helps the liver to detox the body

🔹 What is Glutathione?

Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide, meaning it’s made up of three amino acids:

• Glutamate

• Cysteine (the most critical/limiting one)

• Glycine

It’s the body’s most powerful internal antioxidant, crucial for detox, immune function, and protecting cells from oxidative stress.

🔧 How Glutathione is Made (Two-Step Process):

🥇 Step 1: Gamma-Glutamylcysteine Formation

• Glutamate + Cysteine → γ-Glutamylcysteine

• Enzyme: Glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL)

• 🔑 Rate-limiting step (most tightly controlled)

• ⚙️ Needs ATP

🥈 Step 2: Glutathione Formation

• γ-Glutamylcysteine + Glycine → Glutathione (GSH)

• Enzyme: Glutathione synthetase

• ⚙️ Also needs ATP

💡 Key Nutrients Required for Glutathione Synthesis:

⚠️ Low Glutathione Can Lead To:

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Poor detox (chemical sensitivity, heavy metal buildup)

• Frequent infections

• Inflammation & oxidative stress

• Conditions like Adrenal Fatigue, Autoimmune Disorders, and Chronic Illness

🛡️ Why Glutathione Is Essential:

• Neutralises free radicals

• Detoxifies heavy metals & xenobiotics

• Supports immune defence (especially T-cell function)

• Protects mitochondria & DNA

• Recycles vitamins C & E

• Helps reduce inflammation and ageing damage

Remember BH4 (Tetrahydrobiopterin), sometimes referred to as “Better for Health” in the folate cycle? It plays a vital role in producing serotonin, dopamine, thyroid hormones, and melanin. However, CBS dysfunction—particularly when the pathway is upregulated—can lead to BH4 depletion.

BH4 is essential for maintaining healthy neurotransmitter levels and emotional balance. Low BH4 can result not only from CBS issues but also from MTHFR A1298C mutations, chronic bacterial infections, or exposure to aluminium. A deficiency in BH4 may contribute to mast cell degranulation or Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD).

When CBS is overactive, it can disrupt the urea cycle and place extra stress on the system, contributing to ammonia accumulation. Since BH4 is depleted in this process, the body’s ability to regulate neurotransmitters and detox efficiently may be impaired.

This can lead to agitated or overly sedated behaviour, especially after consuming foods high in L-glutamine, which can feed into the ammonia load. To help ease this burden, it is often recommended to reduce sulfur-rich foods in the diet (such as garlic, onions, eggs, and cruciferous vegetables), thereby lessening stress on the transsulfuration and detox pathways.

Most foods contain some level of sulfur, so the key is balance and moderation. Ensure your CBS pathway is functioning optimally, and consume sulfur-rich foods—like the ever-popular kale—in moderation.

In addition to sulfur, it’s important to consider thiol content. Foods high in thiols can further increase the body’s sulfur load. Thiol compounds are also responsible for the distinct smells of skunks and onions!

However, also look out for products that contain:

• Sodium sulfite

• Sodium bisulfite

• Sodium metabisulfite

• Potassium bisulfite

• Potassium metabisulfite

• Sulfur dioxide

as they can cause allergic reactions.

For more details on Sulfur-related allergies, you can click here.

The Biochemical pathway of MTHFR gene and Glutathione. Dietitian properly adjusts vitamins – https://myrnamethod.com/

PLEASE NOTE: ANY VIEWS REGARDING THE RESULTS ARE MY UNDERSTANDING AND DO NOT SERVE AS PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. THE TREATMENT RECOMMENDATION IS STRICTLY RELATED TO ALEX’S RESULTS AND NOT MEANT FOR SELF-TREATMENT. ALWAYS SPEAK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE STARTING ANY TREATMENTS.